Don't Swallow
by LovelyFarron
Summary: Garrus's world has never quite been the same since he laid eyes on that human woman. She's got his Turian heart in the palm of her hands and she doesn't even know it. Or does she? A collection of drabbles. Open to prompts. Citadel DLC spoilers in chapter 9 and 10!
1. Casual Killer

Game: Mass Effect

Pairing: Garrus/Fem!Shepard

Genre: Romance, Humor

Rating: T (may go up later)

A/N: I won't give Shepard a first name or go into great detail about her looks as I want everyone to be able to imagine their personal Shep.

First up: Garrus is having problems dealing with the Justicar's plan.

Don't Swallow

/Casual Killer

Garrus fidgeted nervously outside of the public restroom, waiting for his commanding officer to finish changing into her casual wear. In all honesty, it probably would have been more comfortable and sanitary for her to return to the ship and her personal quarters to change, but time was of the essence and there was no telling when the Justicar's daughter would appear or when she would leave. Shepard had known this beforehand and brought along her clothes, changing into them after they had interviewed Morinth's latest victim's mother.

_Poor woman, _Garrus thought to himself as he idly fingered the damaged collar of his armor. _Losing your daughter like that…must be terrible. I know I'd want to catch my kid's murderer and put a bullet right through their brain…watch the light go out in their eyes after I'd put them through hell…_

The former C-Sec agent didn't have kids and the closest he could come to understanding the mother's feelings was by thinking back to what he'd experienced when his team had been slaughtered back on Omega. Even then he knew that it paled in comparison, as they were close friends and not his flesh and blood. It didn't mean that their lives meant any less than Nef's, but they were colleagues and not his offspring; he didn't have that ethereal connection with them that was between a mother and her child.

He'd wanted to kill Sidonis, the traitor that had sold them all out, and Nef's mother's fury was completely understandable and, he believed, justified. To want to kill the one that had caused you pain, that had snuffed out another life with their arrogance and greed…it was the natural thing to feel. Perhaps it wasn't right and spoke of an inner darkness that was in the breast of all species, but it was there and it could burn brightly until it was satisfied, devouring every other emotion until blood was spilled and justice served.

Garrus had been lucky enough to be able to deal with his demon in due time and he could only hope that he could grant the same peace of mind to the poor woman he had just met.

There was a movement he caught out of the corner of his eye, and he turned his head to see Samara, the Justicar and Morinth's mother, walking off towards the entrance to the VIP area of Afterlife. He watched her, his electric blue eyes following her as she disappeared into the darkness.

_And then there's Samara. A mother in addition to being a Justicar. Her daughter is a murderer but she's still her child. I can't fathom what it's like to lose a daughter, much less be her executioner. Can she do it…? Or will I lose Shepard again?_

The last thought struck the Turian like lightning, his eyes going wide as the real heart of the matter and his discomfort came to the front of his mind. He ducked his head and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the concrete wall behind him as he fought back the aggravation he felt rising within him.

Here they were, about to find the killer of not only one woman, but of many others, and he was worrying about the safety and wellbeing of one…? Shouldn't he be elated that they were bringing a serial killer to justice? Letting a mother put her daughter's memory to rest…?

Why was he so upset that Shepard was going in alone? Well, not really alone as Samara was on standby, but _still_. Why was he so upset that he had to stay away from the action? That he had to sit on the sidelines this time? Why wasn't he the one that was to seduce the dangerous Asari? Why was he getting upset at the idea of Shepard walking in, her curves flattered by her choice of attire, eyes of humans and aliens alike taking in her shape, drinking in her addictive aura, finding excitement in her beauty, being seduced by her aggressive boldness…Or maybe it was just him that found those things enticing about her, despite the fact that she in no way resembled a Turian. There was something about her that made her irresistible and drew men and women of all species to her. He'd seen it while serving under her on the first _Normandy_, the looks and glances cast her way and for some reason it just set him on fire and ate him up.

He had stayed away from her back then, limiting their interactions but relying on her all the same, trying to be at a distance but finding himself being sucked in by her confidence and bold actions; she had been downright intoxicating and he had been drawn to her, like a moth to a flame.

The very thought of the Asari Ardat-Takshi getting close to her, talking to her, trying to woo her…It made him angry and something else, something he should not feel. What was it…?

_Ah, jealousy._

Garrus shook his head, finding himself growing increasingly uncomfortable as his thoughts went down a path that they _couldn't. _She was his friend, the only person left that he truly respected and cared for in the galaxy. She had showed him the value of believing in himself and never giving up on his ideals. She was his commander, his recruiter, his cherished friend. Nothing more…nothing more…

"Garrus."

Blinking, he came back to the present, his core heating up as he realized that Shepard was standing before him, hands on her hips and a knowing look on her face.

"Ah…er…that is…" he stammered, trying to make his brain work.

_Think Garrus, think!_

"Don't worry Garrus, I'm a big girl," Shepard said, cocking an eyebrow in amusement. "I can take care of myself."

He looked at her, expression one of surprise. How did she know that he was worried about that? Then again, how did Shepard know and do half the things she did?

"I didn't mean to imply that you're not capable," Garrus said, a bit flustered that she'd managed to read his mind somehow—did humans have some sort of latent mind reading ability?—and scratched the back of his head, hoping that she wasn't able to pick up on his more inappropriate thoughts. "It's just…Asari can be…" He left the sentence hanging, not sure what he was trying to say.

Asari can be seductive? Enticing? Convincing?

Shepard let out a laugh. "Don't worry," she said, pushing lightly on his shoulder. "She's a killer. That definitely puts a damper on things. Besides…" She began to walk away, casting an unreadable look over her shoulder as she neared the place where Samara was no doubt waiting for her. "Asari aren't my species of choice when it comes to that kind of stuff." There was a mischievous gleam in her eyes, a slight curve of her lips.

Garrus watched her walk away, her words ringing in his ears.

_Did she just…?_

He put a hand to his jaw, stroking it thoughtfully.

_No, she couldn't have, but maybe she did…?_

He let out a soft laugh and shook his head as Shepard disappeared, on her way to attract a killer.

If only she knew that she was slowly killing him.


	2. The Thief and the Turian

A/N: Since this is going to span all three games, I decided it would be helpful if I made a note about which game the drabble is taking place in. Also, thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites already!

Time period: Mass Effect 2

/The Thief and the Turian

"So I take it you like the evening wear I bought Shepard?"

Garrus blinked and looked around, a bit startled. He hadn't seen anyone in the port observation room when he'd entered, so who…?

A light laugh tickled his ears and his eyes snapped in the direction of the l-shaped couch to his right. He squinted, the outline of a human beginning to take shape in the blackness. The lights were all out, even the ones by the bookshelf and desk, and it was difficult to see at first. He hadn't bothered to turn any on because he had wanted to escape from it all, to just take a breather and revel in the quiet darkness. It seemed, however, that he had not chosen the right spot.

"It's just me, tall gray and horny. No need for alarm. Now if you were carrying valuables on you…then I'd say you should be shaking me down right now."

Garrus let out a breath and shook his head, chuckling softly to himself. Of course. Kasumi Goto. The galaxy's most enigmatic thief. Master of stealth and infiltration. He had forgotten that she had taken up residence in the spacious room and a wave of embarrassment coursed through him. How could he have been so brash and rude? What must she think of him barging into her quarters like this? Sure, she could have locked the door, but that did not excuse him. Yes, she was a criminal but she was still a person and therefore had a right to her privacy…even if she enjoyed violating that of others.

_She does meld in with the darkness pretty well. Especially with the lights turned off. _Garrus mused to himself as he turned completely to face her. _I didn't even feel her presence, and that's saying something. Perhaps she is as good as they say…_

He hadn't gotten a chance to interact directly with the woman and, in all honesty, he was a little wary of her, but that didn't mean that he couldn't be polite and engage her in small talk.

"Hello Kasumi," he said politely, hoping that she wouldn't take offense at his use of her first name. "I hope you are settling in well. You certainly got the room with the best view." It was a little unnerving how he couldn't see her eyes. All he could go by to judge her mood was her body posture and the little muscle twitches by her lips. Humans were relatively easy to read, but with her he was having trouble.

"Yes, I am," Kasumi said from her spot on the comfy couch, not moving. Her head tilted marginally, almost as if she was studying him.

Garrus could have sworn he saw her eyes gleaming at him in an almost predatory manner from beneath her hood and he swallowed hard. He shifted, his discomfort growing. "Ah…when you called me horny, you were referring to my horns, right?"

Kasumi laughed again, taking obvious pleasure in Garrus's plight.

"You tell me."

Garrus's mandibles twitched as he became more and more flustered by the second.

"Pardon?"

Kasumi laughed again, and the Turian couldn't help but wonder if she was rolling her eyes.

"That's answer enough," she said, moving at long last. She walked up to stand by him in front of the wide window, the expanse of space displayed before the two.

There was silence for a bit as Garrus contemplated her words, wondering what it was she was trying to get at. There was talk amongst the crew of various secrets that only a skilled thief could have learned, including one that involved him and a crush he may or may not have on a certain Commander. He had been a little miffed that something like that had gotten out, he was a very private Turian after all, and the crew had quickly learned to not bring it up when he was around less they get a menacing electric blue stare. It was embarrassing, how the females would romanticize it and call it forbidden love and how the males would either give him approving "go get her" looks or disapproving glares.

"You never answered my question."

Garrus looked over at the thief as her voice cut through the silence.

"What?"

She let out a breath and turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh come now," she cooed. "You know what I mean. Black skin-tight leather dress. Silver necklace. Clings to her in all the right places. The one she wore on that mission you weren't invited to."

Garrus narrowed his eyes marginally at the woman, a bit miffed that she'd brought that up. It was a sore topic, and just like the mission with the Justicar, one he'd been forced to sit out. It wasn't so much that it bothered him that he was missing out on the thrill of the hunt, but rather that Shepard had been alone with a person/Asari that he didn't know or completely trust yet. Shepard had enemies after all, whether she liked to think about it or not. The odds of one of them coming around and getting on board the Normandy were slim but not slim enough that it wasn't possible. Both missions had gone well of course though, and the loyalties of both individuals had been affirmed.

"Whoa, calm down there," the Japanese woman tittered. "Don't shoot me."

"I only shoot Geth, Reapers, Collectors, and the occasional gang member," Garrus responded. "I think you're safe. Besides, Shepard would never forgive me." He gave her a Turian grin, hoping that she'd see it and recognize it as a sign of good will.

"Good to know. Also, I'll keep that in mind."

"What in mind?"

"That Shepard has you wrapped around her thumb."

If Turians could blush, he would have. His brow shot up and his hands, which had been clasped behind his back, came up to wave in a negating gesture.

"She doesn't!" he stammered out. "I just…I respect her opinion and if she trusts you, that's all I need to know."

"Really now?" Kasumi asked. "So her opinion weighs that much on yours?"

"Well…" Garrus frowned, trying to think up an answer. "You make it sound like I can't think for myself," he said after a moment, a bit irritated.

"Didn't mean to make it sound that way. Just wondering why you care so much what she thinks."

"I've got her back," Garrus said a bit testily. "That's all you need to know."

Crossing his arms, the perturbed Turian turned his attention back to the stars, his goal of calming himself having been subverted by the devious machinations of the young woman beside him. Still, he had to give her points for perseverance and, he realized with a bit of exasperation, she'd gotten out of him what she'd wanted.

"_I've got her back. That's all you need to know."_

He resisted the urge to smack himself in the face; how dumb could he have been to admit that? Couldn't he have said something a bit more professional? Perhaps something like, "She's my commanding officer and it is my duty to ensure her safety"? His words would no doubt add fuel to the fire to the rumors already circulating about his feelings towards her.

"You would make quite an interrogation officer," he said after several minutes had passed by.

"So I've been told," Kasumi responded cheerfully. "Anyway, I'll be heading out now to give you your alone time. If you need me, I'll be messing around in the main battery. Maybe I'll find something interesting."

"Thanks, I—hey wait!" Garrus barked, turning around to face her. Not much to his surprise, she had vanished. Sighing and running a hand over his face, he took off towards his usual habitat. "Don't touch my guns!"


	3. My Crazy Girlfriend

Time period: Mass Effect 3, Leviathan DLC

/My Crazy Girlfriend

Crazy. There was no other word to describe her. Crazy.

Garrus watched with a sense of resignation as his commanding officer, his _girlfriend_, trudged over to the side of the downed ship in the Triton mech. She was mad—hell, they all were—to even _consider_ jumping down into the depths to confront the unknown. Who was to say that this Reaper killer would be friendly? Or agree to help them? It was probably the thing that had crashed the Kodiak in the first place and had tried to _kill _them all already. Several times. So what in the spirits were they doing?

"Garrus! Heads up! We've got more Reapers incoming!"

Garrus looked to the sky, great balls of fire heading towards the deck where they stood. His grip on his gun tightened as he prepared for another battle. He had to focus, forget the fact that this could very well be the last time that he—

_No._

He stopped the negative thoughts before they could take root in his mind. Shepard would be ok. She always was. He had to keep believing in that, in her. They could do this. They could stop the Reapers here. They could convince this…Leviathan…to help them in their fight against extinction. If anyone could persuade them, it was Shepard.

He made one last look over his shoulder, just in time to see the Triton go falling into the tumultuous sea. He felt a sense of pride swell within him; she was one hell of a woman. There was no doubt in his mind as to why Wrex had made her an honorary Krogan and why, back after they'd helped Grunt defeat the Thresher Maw on Tuchunka as part of his rite of passage, she'd had one breeding request.

"Go get 'em Shepard," he said under his breath, the Turian equivalent of a smile on his face. "Give 'em hell."

Crazy. There was no other word to describe her. Crazy.

And he was in love with her.


	4. Search History

Time period: Mass Effect 3

/Search History

"You never told me you were the Shadow Broker. Guess that explains all the vid screens on your wall."

Liara looked up from the datapad she'd been studying to see none other than Garrus Vakarian standing just inside her doorway. She hadn't heard the door open, being engrossed in reviewing her latest conversation with Javik, and had therefore been a bit startled when his unique voice had cut through the silence. "Hello Garrus," she said, smiling as she set the datapad on her bed and rose to greet him. "How are you?"

The few down times they had in between missions were never long and she hadn't been able to catch up with him much besides short, simple chats over the comm system while she worked. It was a highly impersonal form of communication and she'd been meaning to make her way to the main battery to have a more cordial chat with him, but it seemed that he'd beaten her to it. Of course, she assumed this little visit was less about catching up and more about her more recent exploits as the galaxy's new Shadow Broker, as he had found out about on the mission to Sur'Kesh. She was a bit nervous to say the least, but hid her concerns well.

"I'd be a lot better if you could get this…_thing_ away from me," he grumped, swatting at Glyph as the drone refused to move out of his path, welcoming him with that peculiarly upbeat voice of his.

The Asari suppressed another smile as Glyph asked Garrus to "please refrain from initiating violence while in Doctor T'Soni's quarters." For an artificial construct, the info drone had quite the personality, at least she thought so. She was amused by his little quirks while most others, such as the irritated Turian in her quarters, were annoyed. He—as she had come to think of Glyoh as a male within her mind—was a valued companion of hers, even if he was a little limited in the topics he could discuss. She knew that at times he could get a little intense and bothersome though, something Faron had always complained about while they had resided on the Shadow Broker base.

"Glyph," she chastised. "Please."

The info drone "looked" at her, then swiveled its attention back to Garrus, almost as if it was deciding what to do next, finally drifting out of the way and letting Garrus move further inside.

"As I was trying to say when you entered,"—and Liara could have sworn she heard annoyance in the drone's voice—"As a friend of Doctor T'Soni's, please feel free to look at the upgrade terminal. Please refrain from looking at the private messages terminal, however, as you are not cleared for access."

Her eyes widened and a blush lit up her cheeks at the frankness with which Glyph had spoken. What he had said was true, but the words he had chosen were so…tactless.

"I'm not, am I?" Garrus asked, looking at Liara questioningly. "Let me guess though, Shepard is."

She bit her lip, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry Garrus, it's not that I don't trust you, it's just…" She trailed off, not sure how to explain the paranoia that came with being the galaxy's biggest information broker. She wrung her hands nervously, seeing no easy way out.

"Don't worry about it, I'm not offended," Garrus said as he walked closer to her, passing by the upgrade terminal and private messages—which Glyph reminded him that he was not authorized to view—only stopping when he was directly in front of the network of screens, all displaying a calming view of the galaxy. "That is…I'm not offended _much_." He looked over at her and offered her a small smile.

Liara smiled back, relieved.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked, moving to stand beside him. She was hoping that he wouldn't be too bothered by her status as the infamous Shadow Broker. He had been present when she and Shepard had stormed the previous Shadow Broker's ship to rescue Feron but had been knocked unconscious before the real fight had begun. After assuming control of the information network, Liara had asked the Commander to keep her new job a secret from Garrus. It wasn't like she didn't trust the former vigilante, but she just hadn't felt comfortable telling him at the time. There was a lot of bad stigma attached with the Shadow Broker name after all, and after the things they'd seen in the stronghold and the tortures endured by her Drell friend…Garrus probably would have wanted to blow the place up, contacts and resources be damned.

"Ah, yes," he said, and Liara noticed with curiosity his sudden discomfort at her harmless question. "I was wondering what—ah—information you kept on individuals."

She looked at him, raising her brow in surprise. She had been expecting him to inquire about her…arrangements…but…that was an interesting way to frame his question. "Pardon?"

"You know…" Garrus said, gesturing vaguely, eyes dropping and refusing to meet her questioning gaze. "What sort of...records do you keep?"

"Is there something specific you want to know?" Liara asked, moving forward to her computer, prepared to pull up any information he may need. "Someone you need to—"

"It's no one," he cut in sharply. "It's…no one."

She looked up at him, half-bent over, her hands ready to activate any number of files. "I don't understand." She really didn't.

The Turian sighed. He was clearly flustered. Shaking his head, he looked down.

"I want to know if you…have any records of…my personal search history."

Liara's eyes went wide, shocked that he'd even ask her such a thing. Sure, she could understand why he would, but did he really—"Garrus, do you really think—"

"I'm not a fool Liara, nor would I be mad—a little violated, yes, but not mad—if you had some sort of bug on my personal computer," he interrupted, his eyes returning to hers at long last. "It's what you do, I get that. I also know that you'd never sell me out unless I was peddling secrets to the Reapers or something crazy like that, so please…be honest with me."

Liara ducked her head, worrying her lower lip; this time it was her turn to avoid eye contact.

"Yes," she said after a moment. Her eyes flicked over to his. "I'm sorry."

He let out a breath and nodded his head. "I thought as much. Thank you for your honesty."

She bit down on her lip, ashamed. He was her friend and she had crossed a line. He said he wasn't mad, but he had every right to be. She certainly wouldn't have liked it if it was him spying on her—and it made her sick to think that at one point her predecessor undoubtedly had been listening in on her—and would have had several choice words with him, but here he was, thanking her for her _honesty._ She wanted to slap herself. There would forever be a rift between them, he could never really trust her and it was all because of her—

"Can you erase traces of certain searches on my personal terminal? As in, make them gone? For good? Make sure…certain, ah, things…never get out?"

It seemed that this day was full of surprises for her—and that was saying something as she was the master of secrets and very few things were unknown to her—and she tilted her head, studying him, wonder written across her blue face. Delete his search history, but why…?

"I suppose so, yes," she said after a few seconds. "It should be no trouble. But, may I ask what for?" He was hiding something, that much was obvious. As the Shadow Broker and his friend, she felt a need to know.

Garrus smiled grimly at her. "I'd rather not say, if that's alright with you. Just some…research." He cleared his throat and looked over at Glyph. "Let's just leave it at that."

"If you are concerned with the storing of the conversation, do not worry. Doctor T'Soni has full access to my memory banks and can delete and alter as she sees fit," he offered helpfully.

Garrus didn't seem convinced. "Right. Anyway…" His electric blue eyes went back to Liara. "If you could do that for me, without too much snooping, and if it's not too much trouble…I'd appreciate it."

"Of course, right away," she said, happy that she could do something for him. "It will take up little processing power. Just let me know whenever you feel a wipe is necessary. I can get started on one immediately."

"Thanks Liara, I owe you one," Garrus said, relief evident in his voice and his sudden relaxed posture. He chuckled softly and shook his head. "Here we are, facing our deaths once again and I'm concerned with a little bit of history…" Still laughing, he headed towards the door. "I've got to get back to some more calibrations, but we should have lunch some time. It's been far too long since we've reminisced about the good ol' days."

"I'd like that," Liara said, following him to the door. "Have a pleasant day, Garrus." Perhaps if she had felt more confident in the Crucible she would have berated him for thinking that they were facing their doom, but as it was she wasn't positive that they weren't.

"You too Liara," she heard him say before the door closed on him.

She let out a breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding and felt tension leave her shoulders. That had gone remarkably well.

Moving back over to her terminal, she called up access to his, bypassing the security with ease. She brought up his searches, intent on just deleting them without giving them even so much as a once over, but something caught her attention…

The Asari's eyes widened as she scrolled through his history, amazed at the amount of time and effort he'd invested into his "research." Positions, lotions, risks, biological differences, human customs, human female cycle, possibility of conception…

"Goddess, is there anything he _hasn't _looked up?"

She sat down in her chair, a bit mystified. She'd known that Shepard and Garrus had spent a rather successful night together—and no, she hadn't learned that from either one of them—and that they were good friends, but the things he was studying…It sounded like there was something more to it than what the blue skinned alien originally thought, like Garrus and Shepard were more than just good friends and occasional bedmates…

_Some information broker I am. My best friends, in love. And I didn't even notice. I really have to get out more._

Smiling, she spoke out loud, "Glyph, compose a message to Shepard. Tell her I have some new…information…she should see."

Garrus had forgotten some key things about women of all species—they tended to be nosey and stood together. And while Liara was the Shadow Broker, she was still most certainly a woman and she just _had _to show Shepard the kinky stuff that Garrus was into. It would perhaps save the poor human female some shock the next time she had one of those special cross-species liaisons Garrus so loved.


	5. Docking Bay Dalliance

Time period: Mass Effect 3

/Docking Bay Dalliance

The official story was that Garrus was in the docks to help the Turian refuges. He would find them supplies, make sure the wounded were treated, assured they all had equal food distribution…that sort of thing. Still, Shepard couldn't help but wonder if there were other motives behind his actions, motives that were not as saintly as he would like others to believe.

The Commander smirked to herself as she walked down the crowded walkway, heading towards Cargo Hold: A. That was where she always found him; never in Cargo Hold: B, Cargo Hold: C, or any other of the numerous places he could visit on that level. Cargo Hold: A held some sort of fascination for him beyond just his Turian comrades it seemed, for every time they docked he would make his way to that little cubby hole where he would remain until the call came out for them to return to the _Normandy_.

Still smiling, Shepard rounded the corner, her favorite Turian coming into view. Like always, he was there in his usual spot, all prim and proper looking (she was perhaps the only one there that was wise to the little act he put on in front of others of his species; she didn't mind it at all and even found it to be an endearing quality, especially because he seemed completely unaware that he was doing it).

Hips swaying, she sauntered over to him, taking precise, calculated steps. The slight movements of her waist would be sure to catch his eye and distract him, putting him in an awkward yet amusing predicament in front of the Turians that surrounded him on all sides. So she was a little bit evil; she had to have fun sometime, even if it was picking on her partner. He could take it.

"Garrus," she called out to him as soon as she felt like she was close enough. "Got a question for you."

The Turian blinked, his mandibles spreading out as he looked up to discover her coming towards him, shapely legs making her waist do that thing that human's waists did when they walked. He felt his head turning slightly to get a better look and had to mentally slap himself to pull his mind out of a spiral into thoughts that were rather inappropriate in front of current company.

"Shepard," he said, clearing his throat and swallowing hard. "What brings you down here?"

The Spectre tried to contain the grin that wanted to spread across her face but found that she could not. This was just too much fun. "I could say the same to you. Don't you ever visit the other locations on the Citadel?" She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him expectantly, resting her weight on her left leg as she assumed a slightly cocky posture. "Don't tell me that spending all your time cooped up down here is your idea of a good time."

"Ah, no," Garrus admitted, rubbing the back of his head and shifting nervously under her watchful gaze. She was smiling and had _that _look on her face, the look that meant that she knew something and was just waiting for him to admit it. He did not like where this conversation was going and it had only just begun. "The Turians coming in need as much help as they can get. With the Council caught up in the politics of the War, someone has to watch out for the little guys. Not that Turians are little."

Ok, so it wasn't exactly a lie but it wasn't exactly the truth either. Garrus had managed to secure much of what his people needed on his first few visits, the officer left in charge while he was gone having full permission to use his name when trying to get the required provisions. Being known as the Turian's "expert" on Reapers as well as good old friend to the dear Commander Shepard had its perks.

"Oh, I know that Turians aren't little," Shepard said innocently, despite the innuendo in her choice of words.

Garrus's mandible flared out and his eyes widened, the Turian beside him looking over at him in curiosity before going back to examining his datapad.

"As I was saying…just helping the Turians with supplies. Getting news from back home. You know…typical military duty," he said, his words coming out rushed as he tried to cover up what his commanding officer had just implied.

"And it has nothing to do with the incredibly polite and docile, very un-Shepard like VI that happens to call this hold refuge as well?"

Garrus's face plates moved in ways they never had before, his mandibles flaring out in embarrassment as he tried to think of an excuse that would satisfy both Shepard and the Turians that surrounded them that, while they were pretending to be engaged in other activities, he knew were by now, most definitely not.

"Ah…I…that is…Hm…."

The former C-Sec agent resisted the urge to look around, the feeling of several pairs of eyes boring into him. He wasn't embarrassed admitting that he and the Commander had…something…but it was very, very odd that a Turian and a human would be so…close.

A sudden realization crossed his mind and distracted him from the present awkwardness. He'd seen Turian-Quarians, Turian-Asari, heck, even Turian-Vorcha, but never once had he ever seen a Turian-Human couple. He wasn't vain enough to think that he and Shepard were the first, but he had never, ever, in all his years of existence seen a human joined with a Turian or even heard of one.

"Shepard…"

The brave human was looking around herself now, thoroughly enjoying herself no doubt. She did love a good tease.

"Ahem."

Her attention snapped back to him at his little cough, a devilish smile lighting up her face. Garrus's fight or flight instinct suddenly kicked in as he realized—with growing alarm—that she was looking at him quite predatorily. He resisted the urge to back away; humans may be soft and fleshy, but that didn't mean that when they wanted something they wouldn't fight to get it, sharp teeth and guns be damned.

She moved closer to him, their armored bodies nearly touching as she crossed the boundaries between subordinate and commander, friends, and moved into territory belonging to that of a lover.

"Garrus, if you have a fetish or something for a more submissive bed partner, all you had to do was ask," she said, voice low and seductive, "You don't have to get your daily dose of it from some poorly constructed VI."

Garrus just about died.


	6. Proposition

Time period: Mass Effect 3

/Proposition

"Ah. Garrus. There you are. Good to see you."

"Mordin. Nice to see you out of the med bay for a change. Get tired of staring at Krogan tissue samples?"

The salarian scientist shook his head as he walked over to where Garrus leaned against the counter, waiting for his turian-safe food to finish cooking. The mess hall was nearly empty, most species' internal clocks reading the time that was displayed on their omni-tools as the time to rest.

"Eve sleeping. Tests running. Need refreshment. Best time to get it."

Garrus nodded. "Of course. Why else would you leave? Don't want to catch up with any of your old crew mates because that wastes valuable time." He smiled slightly, wondering if the salarian would be able to tell that he was just giving him a hard time. The two had gone on a fair number of missions together; Shepard had seemed to enjoy the fast-talking, former STG operative's never ending techno babble.

"Did not mean that. Busy with cure. No time to visit."

Garrus chuckled. "I know, I know. Just teasing you Mordin. It's good to have you back. Things didn't quite seem the same without you around."

"Right. Teasing. Funny," Mordin murmured to himself as he moved past the turian. He opened the door to the fridge and began rummaging around. "Turian humor. Reminiscent of human's. Possibly Shepard's influence? Warrants further study."

Garrus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Perhaps his brand of funny was a little off for a turian, but it certainly wasn't Shepard's doing…or was it? His sister had accused him of being more human-like in his speech the last time he had spoken to her…

"See scars still visible. Have proposition for you."

Garrus blinked and turned his attention back to Mordin. The scientist was now holding some sort of nurtibar, a pitcher of some strange milk-white liquid in his other hand. Garrus moved so he could have access to the cupboards where the cups were stored.

"A proposition?"

He had a sinking feeling that he knew what it was going to be, but he couldn't help but ask. He knew that Mordin always, well mostly always, had everyone's best interests at heart, but sometimes the ideas he came up with were…unconventional to say the least.

Mordin nodded as he grabbed a cup, closing the cupboard when he was done and filling up the glass with the liquid.

"Eve. Krogan females attracted to scars. Viable offspring not possible. Chance to express peace in cross-species union. Show turians respect krogan. Trust them."

Garrus groaned and ran a hand over his face. He had expressed to Shepard this fear earlier in the day. He should have known that that knowing smile she had given him had been indicative of what she had known Mordin was planning to ask. And of course it was just like her to not say a word to him…

"Thanks for the, uh, offer but, uh…" Garrus cleared his throat. "…I don't think that Shepard would…appreciate that much."

"Shepard? Nonsense," Mordin said, shaking his head. "Shepard would—ah."

"'Ah'?"

A small smile seemed to lift the corners of Mordin's mouth and a thrilled glint appeared in his large black eyes.

"Advice worked? Successfully initiated sexual intercourse? Continued relationship? Perhaps something more?"

Garrus's mandibles flared in embarrassment. While he and Shepard did have Mordin to thank for his…medical interest...in their relationship, the turian still didn't feel comfortable talking about such intimate matters with him. Perhaps Shepard could just laugh it off, but he couldn't. He was still a bit awkward about the subject with her; how could he discuss it with Mordin?

"…you could say that," Garrus admitted after a second. "Thank you for your…help…but, ah, it's not something I really want to talk about."

Mordin nodded as he took a bite out his snack.

"Understandable. Turians different from salarians. Private about mating even though perfectly natural."

"…yes…"

"Still…"

Garrus cringed slightly. What could Mordin possibly want to know now?

"Curious to know which position worked best."


	7. Ghost in the Bulkhead

Time period: Mass Effect 2

A/N: Something a bit more angsty for you as I listen to the track, "I Was Lost Without You."

/Ghost in the Bulkhead

He had wanted to go with her. He understood the Alliance's desire for her to be the first among the original _Normandy's _remains, but that didn't stop him for wanting to be there for her. If she had asked him he would have gone without hesitation but as it was, she had not asked him. And even though it bothered him that she was down there alone, he would wait for her.

Sighing, Garrus looked out at the stars from the Starboard Observation's window. It was eerie to think that this was the blackness that Shepard had been thrown into two years earlier, that this was the place where she had died along with a part of himself that he hadn't known existed.

He felt his throat tighten uncomfortably all of a sudden and he swallowed hard.

He felt guilty for not being there for her, now and back then. He hadn't been there when the Collectors had attacked; no, instead he had been going against his father's wishes, trying to live up to that brave human woman's example and become a Spectre. He had wanted to make a difference again, to not be constrained by the failings of the system, be able to do some _real _good for a change…

And then she had died.

Her death had rocked him harder than anything else before in his life ever had. He had thought she was invincible, indestructible. And he had been wrong.

She had survived the fight with Sovereign, delivered the killing blow to Saren, made the hard choices that no one else had been able to, and crawled out from under the ruins of the Council's platform practically unscathed. She had talked down a krogan, saved a quarian, and done something to him that he was still trying to figure out.

He had thought she was special, unique, untouchable.

And then she had died.

He didn't remember much of what he had done in the days immediately following the news. He had quit his training, that much he remembered, all the ideals and hopes and dreams he had had shattering. He had been numb, his mind unable to comprehend what his ears had heard.

"_Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy died in an unprecedented act of aggression by a still unknown assailant."_

That was what he had heard, blaring over the comm system in the Citadel. It had been big news, the talk of the galaxy. The first human Spectre. The Hero of the battle for the Citadel. The slayer of Saren. Dead. Dead. Dead.

He had wanted to hit something—that much he remembered—wanted to tear into some bad guy, shoot some geth, take down the bastards that had ended her life. But he hadn't been able to.

Letting out another breath, Garrus lifted his head slightly, a pained expression coming across his face, mandibles flaring as emotions coursed through his veins and set his heart beating fast.

He had never felt more alone in his life than in the moments after he had learned of her passing. He had had his family still, a stern father, loving mother, and caring yet annoying sister, but Shepard had been something else to him. An ally. A comrade. A _friend_.

He should have been used to things like that, death. But something about it hadn't set right with him, some part of his mind had been unable to cope, unable to accept the fact that she was gone. Every moment he had ever spent with her had come back in a rush: memories jumbled together, thoughts spoken, feelings evoked. Everything.

But why?

Why had it hurt so bad?

When he had seen her, running towards him down the bridge of Omega he had thought he had died. When she had made it up to him, when he had heard her voice, seen with his own two eyes that it was indeed that unstoppable human woman, he had made a vow to himself that he would never let her die again. It had been a foolish vow to make, one inspired by the relief and heat of the moment, but he had meant it all the same.

That was why he was here now, that was why he was waiting for her, why he worried for her. Because he knew that he could not live with himself should something happen to her again. He didn't think he could survive another bout of despair like the one he had found himself in while he had bloodied himself with the taint of hundreds of mercs. He had wanted to do the galaxy a service but had also wanted to erase the pain he so keenly felt.

It was only now that he had started to understand why he had felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest, why he had felt so dead when he had been so damn alive, why he had cursed the blood pumping through him when it had ceased in her.

His throat began to tighten again and he closed his eyes.

She had done something to him, all those years ago. She had gotten inside his head, his heart, his very soul. She had haunted his every waking thought, she had been the reason why he had had to keep himself busy, always moving, forever on the run.

He wasn't ready to admit it yet, these feelings welling deep within him. They were much more than friendship, stronger than anything he had ever felt before. And it terrified him. To know that one person, a human woman no less, could make him so afraid of the uncertain future, to make him neurotic at the thought of her dying, to make him unable to function in a world without her.

What had she done to him?

There was a slight hiss as the doors behind him whoosed open and he opened his eyes. Turning around, he saw Samara walking in. He opened his mouth to apologize for being in the place she had claimed for her quarters when she spoke.

"Shepard has returned."

His mouth stayed open, his heart skipping a beat inside his chest.

_Shepard._

Samara smiled a smile that did not reach her eyes, a sort of sadness in them as she studied his countenance.

"Go to her."

Without a word, Garrus nodded and walked towards the elevator.

/

She was in her quarters, right where he'd known she would be.

He entered without knocking, knowing instinctively that she wouldn't object to his presence now.

His heart sped up when he saw her standing there, in the center of her room, the glow of the fish tank illuminating her. In her hands she held her old N7 helmet, a wistful look on her face. She didn't acknowledge his entrance but he knew that she knew he was there.

The cabin was reminiscent of her old one, her new helmet modeled after the one she now held in her hands. Her body was the same yet it wasn't; old scars were gone, injuries repaired. She was the past, the present, and his future, a walking time contradiction.

And she was alive.

Without a word he walked over to her, standing behind her as the ghosts in the bulkhead came out to play.


	8. Scent

Time period: Mass Effect 3, Omega DLC

/Scent

"So who's the lucky turian?"

Shepard blinked in surprise at the question, her head turning to the right as Nyreen Kandros walked up to her. She hadn't really been expecting anyone to come and talk to her; everyone was busy preparing for the next mission. She had spoken to the turian woman a few times in the calms that came between fights, wanting to learn more about her ties to Aria and Omega, but she had never shared anything personal with her. Even if she had let something slip out, she was certain it wouldn't have been about _that _and if it had been she would have remembered it. So how did Nyreen know? Or were her ears just playing tricks on her?

"Pardon me?"

Nyreen stared blankly at the Commander, crossing her arms over her chest. "I said, who's the lucky turian?"

Shepard's eyes narrowed marginally as she felt her face heat up. So she _had_ heard what she had thought she had.

_Good to know my hearing isn't going yet, but…how does she know about Garrus and me?_

Shepard knew that turian-human couples were a rare thing and that news of one, especially if one or both happened to be famous, spread like wildfire, but as far as Shepard knew nobody except for the crew that had been present during the suicide mission and those that were onboard currently had any sort of knowledge about her relationship with Garrus. Had someone spilled accidentally? Had the rumors being whispered on board the _Normandy _finally made it off the ship and infected the news network? Had Nyreen been doing some snooping on the communication feed?

The Commander wasn't ashamed of her relationship with Garrus in any way and didn't care what people thought about their cross-species liaison, but it was something private, the details being nobody's business except for Garrus and her. Despite the little chats she'd had with Nyreen, the turian was still a stranger to her. She barely discussed what went on between her and Garrus with Liara, and Liara was someone she trusted with her life.

"How do—"

"You have his scent," Nyreen said, cutting Shepard off. Her mandibles flared in the way that suggested she was amused. "When turians mate, we release a particular—ah—smell. It lingers on the skin of our partner and serves a warning to tell other turians to back off."

"Oh," Shepard said dumbly, feeling a bit stupid. She recalled learning something about that back in her cadet days, but that had been so long ago that she could barely remember it. Garrus had probably forgotten to mention it to her because it was just a part of life for him, nothing special.

Nyreen chuckled and shook her head. "Don't worry, it's barely noticeable. I've been trained to notice small details though, and while the scent of a turian on another turian isn't out of the ordinary, having the scent of a turian on a human is."

Shepard let out a breath, but not before cringing inwardly. The Primarch was onboard the _Normandy_. Did he smell Garrus on her…? She hoped that the combination of strange scents ranging from human to salarian to krogan were enough to keep his nose distracted.

"So…who is it?"

Shepard raised an eyebrow as the Talon leader pressed her further for information. "Why do you want to know? I can hardly see how it's relevant to our current situation."

"Just curious to know what kind of turian it takes to sweep you off your feet," Nyreen said teasingly. "Not that I'm trying to woo you or anything—" and here she cast a glance back at Aria—"but I figured I could give you a few pointers. I am a turian after all."

Shepard put her hands on her hips, still not convinced.

"That's kind of private, and while I'm sure your intentions are in the right place…I'm just not sure how comfortable I am discussing it with…" Shepard paused, wondering how she could phrase the rest of her sentence without sounding rude. She liked Nyreen enough, but it didn't change the fact that she didn't know her well.

"He's high up on the chain of command, isn't he?" Nyreen suddenly asked. "Perhaps close to the Primarch?"

"Have you been keeping up with news of the war?" Shepard asked. She was getting awfully close to the mark. It wouldn't take a genius to piece together the pieces if she knew that Garrus was the turian's expert advisor on Reapers and had been with Shepard during several pivotal missions that involved the fate of the galaxy. He had been the only turian on board that she had had exposure to long enough to have formed a relationship with.

Nyreen shook her head. "Nope, not really. Been too busy here. Besides…" she faltered in her speech for a second, her hard eyes showing the briefest glimpse of pain. "…Palaven is no longer my home. My friends, my family, my life there…all dead to me."

A wave of sympathy for the biotic swept through Shepard. It was hard, being singled out and mistrusted because of your natural abilities.

"Nyreen…"

The turian held up her hand. "No, it's fine. You've already heard enough about me anyway." Her mandibles twitched. "My life is probably nowhere near as interesting as, say, Garrus Vakarian's."

_Shit._

"Let me guess…you were able to guess that from his scent too?" the Commander asked wryly, shifting her stance slightly. "Is there some sort of database that catalogues that kind of stuff? Or can you somehow read my mind?"

Laughing, Nyreen shook her head again. "No. Just simple deduction really." She eyed the Spectre sharply. "While I haven't had time to keep up on recent events doesn't mean that I haven't heard of your earlier escapades. Even the lowest of the low in the galaxy know who you are and what company you keep, Shepard. You trust a quarian, soothe a krogan, put up with a salarian, befriend a turian…You're something of a celebrity."

"Tell me about it," Shepard grumped. That was one "perk" of the job that she hated. Most other Spectres and Commanders could live quiet lives without half the galaxy knowing about their personal affairs but since she was the first human Spectre and the first to successfully bring down a Reaper, her life was not her own.

"Well, it could be worse," the turian pointed out. "I don't think anyone else is going to know about your relationship unless they've got a nose like mine and actually pay attention to those small details that normally get overlooked."

"Or unless someone goes to the nearest news network with a breaking story…"

"Hm? Oh!" Nyreen snorted. "Don't worry! Your secret is safe with me! Not like I care what you do or who you see. I've had my own cross-species fun anyway, wouldn't want to spoil it for anybody else."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Shepard said, deciding that she rather liked the huntress. Sharp, talented, and respectful. Maybe if things worked out she could convince her to commit her Talon resources to the war cause. She would be a fine addition to the _Normandy _crew, though she doubted she could convince Nyreen to leave the spacestation.

"So does this mean that you want my advice now?" Nyreen asked, mischief in her tone.

Shepard's brow crinkled together as she thought about it. After a minute, she smiled devilishly. "I think I have time to hear a few tips and tricks…"

A/N: I wanted to do something with Nyreen in it, seeing as how she's the only turian female in the games that Shepard interacts with. I rather liked her character and I'm excited that we'll be getting turian ladies in the next multiplayer DLC.

Just a reminder, this is open to prompts so if you want to see something written, just let me know! Thanks for the reviews so far and Azvee, your last review was really encouraging and has inspired me to keep on writing! I really appreciate it and I hope that I can continue stories you enjoy.

Thank you all for reading/reviewing/faving/following!


	9. Family

A/N: Inspired by the Citadel DLC! If you don't want things spoiled for you, then I recommend skipping this chapter! I was unable to sleep last night because I was too busy having an attack of feels over the DLC and had a full day to top it all off. I'm feeling rather giddy.

Time period: Post Mass Effect 3 with references to the events of the Citadel DLC

/Family

"You know, maybe we should adopt Grunt."

Garrus nearly choked on the beverage he'd been enjoying, his eyes going wide and mandibles widening as far as they could go as he tried to keep his windpipe clear. Tears filled his eyes at the unpleasant sensation and he blinked a few times to get his tear ducts back under control while he sputtered and coughed.

Shepard shook her head at the turian's distress as she walked up to where he sat on her plush couch, slightly amused and slightly sympathetic, sorry that she'd picked the exact moment he'd taken a drink to speak the thought that had been on her mind ever since he'd mentioned finding out what a turian-human baby looked like. Like she had said, she was game, but she highly doubted that they would be able to produce offspring due to their differing biological makeups. Heck, even _ingesting _each other's bodily fluids could be harmful if certain precautions weren't taken.

Normally she wouldn't bring up such a topic so abruptly, but she was in a strange mood. Was it hormones? The old biological clock ticking down towards its end? Or the wine Liara had sent to her?

"Sorry, Shepard," Garrus said after a few minutes, clearing his throat. "I must be losing my hearing—or my mind—because I could have sworn you just said, 'maybe we should adopt Grunt.' And, well, that's just a ridiculous idea…right?" He looked at her in an almost pleading manner, noting her completely serious face. "…you have _got _to be kidding me."

A small smile cracked the Commander's face. "Well…maybe a little." She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an accusing eyebrow. "_You _were the one that said there would be a lot of little krogan running around soon."

"Yeah…emphasis on the 'little', Shepard," Garrus said. "Grunt is…well…you've seen the guy. He's not exactly what you'd call…ah…small."

Shepard snorted. "Funny. I seem to recall you referring to him as 'little guy' until this discussion."

Garrus gave her a flat look. "Shepard."

Sighing, Shepard threw up her hands in defeat. "Ok, ok. I get your point. He's not pint sized. Full grown. Already passed a rite. But technically…he's barely one year old." Shepard gestured to the picture of the crew that they had taken at the little party she'd thrown for them all before heading to the Illusive Man's base. "And besides…he kinda already thinks of me as a maternal figure of sorts. I think he kinda sees Wrex as his father, but I'm sure we can introduce you as the justice-loving, sniper-happy step-father."

"Haha Shepard, very funny."

"No, really!" Shepard grinned, suddenly deciding that her unusual mood was definitely due to the asari wine she'd all but chugged. _Mental note to self, trust Liara with everything but wine. Her understanding of alcohol and the effects it has on humans, even ones with special Cerberus upgrades like me, seems to be rather limited. _"I mean, I've already bailed him out of jail once."

Garrus's mandibles flared in excitement before calming as he remembered the tale Shepard had told him about Grunt's hospital escape, escapade to the top of the krogan memorial, and the lighting on fire and subsequent hijacking of a C-Sec officer's car. He had thought she had been joking at first, possibly under the influence of alcohol, but when he'd heard the poor tank bred krogan mutter something about it in his drunken sleep, he'd known that Grunt had indeed done all that Shepard had recounted.

For fun, the ex-vigilante entertained the idea of legally becoming a guardian of the genetically engineered krogan. Really, he didn't need any, as he could do the things that a krogan of age could despite only being one year old, but it was still a thought nonetheless. Technically speaking, the krogan warlord Okeer was his father but Garrus supposed that it wouldn't hurt Grunt to have someone he could legally call mom and dad. He could belong to someone then, be more than just a part of clan Urdnot—which was a family as well—but part of something deeper, personal.

He wouldn't mind making it all legal on paper, if it would make Shepard happy. He was rather fond of the krogan after all and Shepard had all but claimed responsibility for the tank bred when she'd released him from his prison. Of course, Grunt was still responsible for his own actions and was a part of clan Urdnot, but sometimes he needed someone older and wiser, someone there to give him a gentle push in the right direction rather than a punch to the face like most krogan were prone to giving.

But…would Grunt want that? He seemed happy with the way things were, as did Shepard normally. So…why all of a sudden…?

Garrus furrowed his brow, thinking. His sensitive nose picked up on the faint smell of asari wine and in an instant he knew what was up with Shepard. They'd talked a little bit about it here and there while she'd been recovering in the hospital from the last battle with the Reapers, but it'd been a tense topic, almost a scary one. A child—adopted or not—was a big responsibility. Were they even suited to being parents? Could they raise a child without them feeling pressured into following their parents' impossibly big shoes? Sure, it'd been easy to bring it up when they were facing what they all thought was certain death, but to talk about it now, in the peace, the aftermath? Difficult.

Garrus sighed and shook his head, feeling a bit defeated. Regardless of whether they were ready or not, it was something best to be discussed with Shepard when she was fully sober.

"You know Shepard, I think things are fine the way they are for now, you know?" he said carefully. "No need to break what isn't broken." He watched her face closely, searching her face for any sign of dejection.

To his surprise, she hummed in agreement.

"Yeah. I guess you're right," she sighed. "Sorry for bringing it up."

Garrus, despite also being in a slightly inebriated state, could tell that she was disappointed. He could understand the feeling—how old were they now?—and he too felt the need to start a family before it was too late. But there were so many questions, too many variables and unknowns.

They would never be a "normal" family like the ones he saw on the vids, perhaps even becoming something similar to what Shepard's family had been in her younger days, but he supposed that was alright. As long as they were together, they could make it work. They were Shepard and Vakarian after all. Spectre and ex C-Sec officer. Commander and Archangel.

Smiling at long last, Garrus motioned for Shepard to move closer.

"And besides…" he said, voice low and seductive all of a sudden, mandibles clenched tightly to his cheeks as he tried to suppress the devious thoughts rising within him. He knew exactly how to get the Commander's spirits back up. His taloned hand reached for her five fingered one, gently pulling her down to sit on his lap. Leaning close to her, so his breath tickled her ear, he whispered. "…I'm not ready to give up on making that turian-human baby."

A/N: I don't see any typos but when I'm super tired I usually miss something. I will go back over this again after I am more rested! Hope you enjoyed!


	10. Love

Time period: Mass Effect 3, Citadel DLC

/Love

Shepard sat on the steps that led to the upper level of her new apartment. She was well within earshot of the groups scattered throughout the spacious complex, including Grunt whose snoring was nearly loud enough to wake the dead. No one seemed to mind though, shouts of laughter and glee reaching her ears as she relaxed against the wall, a warm smile on her face.

Never in all her years had she ever seen something like this party coming, much less that she'd be the one throwing it. Then again, she'd never seen a single moment of her life coming. When she had been accepted into the Alliance she'd known that she'd have an eventful life, but becoming the first human Spectre, being on the receiving end of a Prothean beacon, taking on Reapers, dying, coming back to life, fighting her own clone…That was more than eventful. That was _insanity_.

The sound of a bullet hitting a beer glass followed by the loud sound of Wrex's cheering and laughter from both the group in the balcony and the group in the kitchen caught Shepard's attention, and she was almost positive that underneath the ruckus she could hear Joker cry out, "My pancreas!" Her mouth stretched even further, her cheeks beginning to ache as the muscles that were allowing her to smile began to protest after hours of consistent use.

She shook her head as the sound of another bullet, this one belonging to Zaeed apparently as he was the one that let out a whoop, hit another beer bottle.

"Damn right! That's how it's done!" the aging mercenary cried gleefully. "This goddamn party is really getting started now!"

Shepard let out a quiet laugh, the part of her that had been concerned with the use of live rounds in her apartment having been vanquished by alcohol. Granted, it wouldn't stay in her system long thanks to the upgrades Miranda had given her, but for the moment she was a bit fuzzy and all was fine with her.

She wanted this moment to last forever, for this night to never end. Her crewmates, her teams throughout the years, her _friends_…here. Laughing. Living. For just one night they could forget it all, forget the Reapers, pretend that their deaths weren't facing them down the road. Tonight they could just be, just dance and talk and do everything that they hadn't been allowed to do because the galaxy was resting on their shoulders. Tonight they were free to be themselves; tonight they were away from prying eyes.

She was going to enjoy this night, take it all in—even if her living quarters were in risk of being shot up. They were all here, everyone she cared about. The turian she'd come to love more than life itself, the pilot that had been with her through thick and thin, the biotic that she had once loved and now cherished as a valued friend, the asari who had been her confidant, the krogan who had become her brother, the quarian that had become her sister, the woman that had brought her back from the dead and whom she had melted the frosty exterior of, the man that had believed in her even when he knew nothing about her, the tattooed devil that she had helped out of her angry shell, the tank bred that she cherished like a child, the Justicar whom she respected and revered, the thief that made her laugh with her eccentricities, the mercenary that never ceased to entertain day with his stories, the strongman with a heart of gold, the AI that was more human than anyone she'd ever met, the Ancient that was continually faceplaming at the "primitives", the other pilot that was strong in the wake of loss, and the young woman that had grown into a woman under her watchful eye…

…well, they were almost all there.

Her smile faltered in the slightest and a sad look touched her eyes, her heart twisting painfully in her chest. She'd had to leave a few blanks in her list, for not everyone was there. Not everyone had survived.

There were holes in her heart; gaping holes that had been torn that would never be sewn back together. There were wounds, scars, tears that would never fade, people that she would never, ever forget.

Ashley.

Mordin.

Thane.

Legion.

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. The music continued to pound around her, the laughter of her friends tickling her eardrums as she sat on the steps, temporarily immobilized as she lost herself to her emotions and thoughts. Her body was numb, raw with grief as she remembered those that had not lived to see this day, to see their friends smiling, to see that they had made a difference in the galaxy and, more importantly, in her.

Each one of their lives had touched her, influenced her, shaped her into who she was. Not a single encounter was trivial, not a single person unimportant in her eyes. They'd all been there for her, those alive and those no longer with her, when the rest of the galaxy had chosen to believe a lie. They had put their trust in her, allowed her to lead her. They had bled, laughed, and cried at her side. She had seen them all through trials and tribulations that would break a lesser person and so had they with her.

She closed her eyes, salty tears burning.

She missed them all. God, how she missed them. God, how she would miss them _all_. Sooner or later death would come for each one of them, snatching them away from her and taking them to the great beyond she had visited once. They were her reason for fighting, her family. They were reason for not giving up, her reason for refusing to just lie down and die.

Perhaps it would seem crazy to some—falling in love with a turian, bonding with a geth, trusting two people that used to work for a terrorist organization, letting a master thief on her ship, having an assassin watch her back—but she didn't care. She didn't give a damn what people thought her choices or character.

She'd never thought herself capable of feeling this way, of experiencing such a strong emotion that she wanted to rip out her own heart because sometimes it was too intense for her to bear. She'd never felt this way before, and while it killed her while making her feel so alive, she wouldn't have it any other way.

They were hers, her family, her friends, her _world._ And if she had to die stopping the Reapers to keep them safe, she sure as hell would.

"Kasumi!"

Shepard opened her eyes as Jacob let out a yelp. Her smile returned as Kasumi gave some calm reply, obviously pleased at whatever it was she had done. Down in the kitchen Jack yelled something about "kickin' up the jams" and Shepard quickly jumped to her feet to stop the psychotic biotic so she and her guests could avoid having permanent hearing damage.

"Hey! Jack! I think it's loud enough!" she yelled over the racket. "I said-! Hey! Glyph! Stop her!"

She was smiling despite having distress in her voice, too overwhelmed with positive emotions to come off her happy high and frown.

Yes, they were her family.

And she loved each and every one. Eccentricities and flaws included.

A/N: It's so late! I really wanted to right this though, to try and convey how I feel about the Mass Effect cast. I love each character so much and I hope I was able to convey what they all mean to Shepard through this.


	11. Reporters

Time period: Post ME3

/Reporters

"…coming up, I've got the scoop on the interspecies couple taking headlines by storm. Hear all about the passionate front-line affair between renowned Commander Shepard and turian advisor Garrus Vakarian next. I'm Diana Allers and you're watching 'Battlespace.'"

Shepard's eyes narrowed and her hands balled into fists as the shot of Diana Allers and the "Battlespace" studio was replaced by an ad for the upcoming Blasto movie, "Blasto Goes to War". Under normal circumstances the Spectre wouldn't be caught dead watching the news, as more than half the time they reported garbage and twisted people's words, but she had decided that just this once she would give it a shot. She hadn't had time to watch any of Allers's pieces when she had allowed her on the _Normandy_, and she felt a little bit guilty about it. True, she had been in the middle of a war, but the reporter had always seemed a bit disappointed that the Commander had missed her segments and Shepard had resolved that if she survived the war she would watch at least one episode of "Battlespace."

Ironically, the one day she had remembered to do so happened to be the day that Diana was airing her special "inside" report on her relationship with Garrus.

"I'm going to kill her," Shepard grumbled to herself, her cheeks heating up as her fingers twisted together in the nervous habit that she had picked up from Liara. "I'm going to hunt her down and smack her upside the head with her own cam."

Of course she wasn't really going to kill or in any way harm Allers; perhaps scare her a bit or make her sweat, but that was all. She rather liked her actually, as she was not half as bad as all the other reporters—specifically Khalisah al-Jilani— that the Commander had encountered so far. Still, she couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed by this sudden unwanted spotlight on her personal life and she could feel her temper rising.

She had wanted Diana on board the _Normandy _because she had wanted her to report what was _really _going on in the war, to get across the fact that the Reapers could not be appeased and that everyone needed to chip in lest they all perish. She had trusted the reporter, given her access to areas she normally wouldn't be allowed to go. Of course Shepard had had to censor her on some material, but for the most part Diana had expressed wisdom in knowing what could and could not be aired.

Shepard had never suspected then that in addition to acquiring behind the lines footage that she would also be collecting snippets of what went on between the members of the _Normandy _crew, even less that she'd be snooping around digging up information on Garrus and her. She had felt like they had been able to keep up a professional front when around others, but apparently a front that was not as professional as she'd originally thought. Then again, Diana was a sharp reporter; she had an eye for detail and ear for hearing things it shouldn't. If she could make an elcor cry, well…finding out about the human-turian couple on board the _Normandy_ had probably seemed like child's play to her. Joker had once joked that it was, "The _Normandy_'s best worst kept secret", and it was only now that Shepard understood what he had meant.

_Was it that obvious?_

Shepard worried her bottom lip between her teeth, her fingers itching to get ahold of a gun and shoot something. She let out a breath to try and calm herself, her face flushed with anticipation and her stomach twisting into nervous knots as she wondered just what it was Allers intended on airing. Surely nothing too personal, right? She didn't mind people knowing about her relationship with Garrus and could care less about what they thought, but it was still something private, the intimate details of which were nobody's business.

She was sure that there would be a large crowd of people that disapproved—hell, she'd just gotten her mother used to the idea that she might have a turian son-in-law someday— many of which were the older folk that still remembered the Contact War. She couldn't fault them for disapproving, as they no doubt still had bitter memories left over from the war, but wasn't it time to let old grievances go? The krogan had finally forgiven the turians and salarians for unleashing a biological weapon that had nearly been the end of their species and every race that called the Milky Way home—human, turian, asari, salarian, quarian, geth, hanar, drell, elcor, volus, vorcha, rachni, and even a Prothean and the Leviathans—had banded together to destroy the Reapers. Wasn't it time to let old stigmas and prejudices die?

_What's the worst that could happen? _Shepard asked herself. _Sure, maybe we get a few death threats, maybe even some bombs, but nothing we can't handle. And most of the galaxy is too busy rebuilding to even give a crap what we do, right? And who's going to be listening to a battle network when there are no battles? Next to nobody will be tuning in. Right? Right?_

She let out a breath and shook her head, unable to convince herself.

_Who the hell am I kidding…_

Even though the network Diana worked for was largely about military strategy and battle tactics, it had its fair share of gossip. Even war had its celebrities after all, and the Commander no doubt was among them along with Garrus Vakarian.

Gossip was actually the only thing that "Battlespace" could rely on at the moment; the defeat of the Reapers and the resolution of all major inter-species conflicts having brought about a fall in ratings for obvious reasons. If there was no war, what use would there be for a station all about it? That, and after the hell that the galaxy had just gone through…who wanted to talk about firefights and skirmishes?

The producers were desperate for some fresh material, something light and optimistic to lift the spirits of their viewers. Therefore, Shepard could understand why things like romance and the re-uniting of lovers torn apart by the Reaper conflict were being featured, but…why her? Why oh why had Diana Allers picked her? Did she not fear the Commander's wrath? Or did she know the Commander well enough to know that she wouldn't actually harm her? After all, if Shepard hadn't punched out Khalisah, chances were that she wasn't going to hurt someone she was partial to…

"Something bothering you, Shepard?"

Shepard jumped at the sudden sound of Garrus's voice and she turned around to give him a glare.

"You startled me."

Garrus's mandibles spread out and his brow lifted in amusement. "Hm. I must be getting better at this stealth thing. That, or you're losing your touch. A year off the battlefield and you're already going soft Shepard. Tsk tsk," he shook his head in disapproval, though his voice was light with humor. "We'll have to be sure that you haven't lost your…flexibility…later tonight."

Shepard let out a laugh and motioned for him to come over to her. "I thought we tested that enough yesterday."

"Well…it never hurts to be sure," he said. "I just want to be certain you aren't completely out of shape."

Shepard shook her head and let out a sigh, her mind still heavy with the news that Allers was about to break upon a galaxy of viewers. Garrus had managed to temporarily distract her with his smooth lines, but she was not soon to forget the chaos that was to be unleashed upon their little "love nest" the moment the piece was aired.

"Shepard? Are you alright?"

She looked back to Garrus, her eyes locking on his electric blue ones. There was genuine concern in them and she gave him a grim smile. "As a matter of fact, there is something bothering me."

"Hmmm…well that's no good…" He stopped just as he reached the sofa, putting his hands on either side of where her elbows rested. "Maybe there's something a certain turian with no romantic skills to speak of could do to help?" His voice was low and seductive; the inflections being used meant to woo and amuse her.

Shepard bit down hard on her lip, reminding herself that it was not the time to be turned on. They—not just she—had a real problem on their hands. Diana Allers was about to say god knew what about their personal lives on live television.

"Garrus," Shepard said, forcing herself to pull away from him. "Not now."

His brow and mandibles moved in a way that suggested he was disappointed, but he didn't say anything about it, instead directing his next words towards what was troubling her. "What's wrong, Shepard?"

She gave him another grim look before turning back around and using her omnitool to turn up the volume on the vidscreen.

"_This_."

"Welcome back to 'Battlespace'!" Allers said cheerfully, her image replacing the ad that had just been playing. "I'm Diana Allers. Thank you for joining us this evening!"

Garrus's brow shot up. "You're watching the news?" he said, genuinely surprised. "I thought you hated it."

"I do," Shepard responded dryly. "Just watch."

Shrugging his shoulders, Garrus turned his attention back to the vidscreen, her ire causing curiosity to rise within him.

"And now the moment you've all been waiting for, tonight's highlight…Commander Shepard and Garrus Vakarian. Are they lovers? Friends with benefits? Or something more? After spending several months aboard the _Normandy_, I got to see them in ways no one has before."

_Ah._

A light bulb went off in Garrus's head and he couldn't help but chuckle.

_So that's what this is about._

"You're not really mad about this, are you?" he asked, looking down at his girlfriend. She looked back up at him, a doubtful eyebrow raised. "Look, Shepard," he explained. "There's nothing for her to report on that everybody doesn't already know. She doesn't know anything about us. Sure, she was onboard the _Normandy_ but what can she possibly say? She was never around us during our…ah…moments…and I'm positive that none of the crew would say anything. They respect us too much to break our confidence. All she's going to do is repeat the rumors that are already out there. No one's going to pay much attention to her because she isn't going to be giving them anything new, only speculations. People want confirmation, and she can't give that to them."

Shepard didn't say anything, simply responding with a flat look.

Garrus sighed, shaking his head as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Look, just watch this thing and you'll see that I'm right."

Shepard pursed her lips, still saying nothing, and turned back around to watch.

"I was limited to what areas I could film while onboard," Diana was saying as Garrus tuned back in. "But I was lucky enough to catch this little conversation in action…"

Garrus noticed out of the corner of his eye that Shepard was twisting her hands together and he gripped her shoulder firmly in reassurance. Everything would be fine, she would see. Diana could talk all she wanted, but she didn't have anything solid. Everyone would still be left clueless and in the dark, the rumors continuing to be rumors until she and he decided how and when to break the news of their cross-species liaison. He would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about it, but it was a day still far off in the future.

"Yes, Mordin, we're still having problems with chafing."

Garrus's eyes went wide as he heard his voice coming out of the speakers, his hand tightening on Shepard's shoulder. She grunted, his talons almost breaking skin and he loosened his grip. Diana's face had been replaced with a clip of the mess hall, one of the areas she had been allowed unlimited access to. Garrus and the late Mordin Solus could be seen by the kitchen counter, both completely oblivious to the cam trained on them.

Needless to say, Garrus was mortified.

"Suspected as much. Tried lotion? Ointments?"

"Ah, we did for a while, but…ah…" Garrus on the screen scratched the back of his head. "Well, we don't carry…supplies…with us everywhere we go. Sometimes we just…you know…get in the mood."

Mordin nodded. "Salarians do not experience 'getting in the mood' but understandable. Will think about long term solution." His head tilted to the left. "Did not suspect strong, lasting romantic attachment. Thought purely sexual, curious about trying something new. Pleased to see you two find happiness. Very rare. Especially between turian and human."

"Ah, yes, thank you…but…you don't have to be so…loud about it."

"Apologies. Merely intrigued by effects of long-term bonding between two different species. Never had chance to study human and turian together. Seen asari and vorcha, but never turian and human. After cure, would like to study. Conduct experiments."

"What kind of experiments are we talking about?" Garrus on the vid screen said, nervousness in his tone, the cam capturing his flaring mandibles even from a distance. "I know you're a scientist, Mordin, but, um…"

"Don't worry, nothing unethical. Just thinking," Mordin paused, inhaling deeply before continuing. "Sexual intercourse is way of procreation. Natural to talk about when in long-term relationship. Will prove problematic between a turian and human to conceive naturally due to—"

"Mordin," Garrus said, cutting the salarian off. "Shepard and I have been together for barely six months. I don't think we're ready to talk about kids yet. Besides, with the Reapers…"

Mordin nodded again. "Yes. Reapers. Understand. Tomorrow, uncertain. Might all die."

"Way to be morbid, Mordin," Garrus said flatly.

"Did not mean to be. Simply agreeing that—"

Garrus chuckled and put a hand on the scientist's shoulder. "Just giving you a hard time. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some calibrations to finish…"

"Of course."

The cam moved suddenly as Garrus started to walk towards the hallway where the elevator was located. The last thing that could be heard clearly as Diana booked it to safety was Mordin saying, "Main battery not that way. Believe you are—oh. Never mind. Different kind of calibrations. To be expected after talking about intercourse."

The clip ended, Allers's face appearing again, a mischievous smile spreading her lips. Both the Commander and the ex-vigilante were shocked, frozen in place, the former's face going red and the latter standing dumbly with an open mouth.

Minutes passed before either one of them moved or said anything, minutes in which neither one heard the words leaving Allers's mouth.

Despite having the secret now officially out—and what a way it had come out—Shepard was no longer tense. A bit angry, but that was alright. She could deal with anger. It was the waiting and being kept in the dark on what Allers was to say that she had hated. It was done—over with! Everyone knew! She could now prepare for the onslaught of excited individuals, be they congratulatory or irate. No doubt her mother would be giving her a call soon…

"Well…that could have been a lot worse."

With a huff, Garrus stormed away, muttering curses under his breath that Shepard couldn't quite catch. She turned down the volume on the vid screen, looking over her shoulder with a frown when a loud crash came from the area where the weapons where stored.

"What are you doing Garrus?"

"Have you seen my sniper rifle Shepard? There's a certain reporter that I need to pay a visit to."


	12. Wedding Plans

Time period: Post ME 3

A/N: The idea that started this all was the thought of Jack at Shepard's wedding cussing someone out for commenting on how she had "modified" her bridesmaid dress…

/Wedding Plans

"Shepard…it says here that you have Jack as one of your bridesmaids. Are you sure that's a good idea?"

The flanging voice cut through the stillness, startling the sleeping Commander. Eyes snapping open, she sat bolt upright in her chair, an alarmed look on her face as she went for her pistol.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

She let out a breath, relieved as her brain registered the familiar voice.

Garrus.

"How long was I out?" she asked, trying to stand but deciding against it as her head protested violently. She groaned and slumped back in her seat, a dour expression on her face. "I feel like I was dropped by a lift grenade."

"Well…" Garrus crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the back kitchen wall. "The last time I was in here was about two hours ago to get some more of that turian chocolate Dr. Michel dropped off and you were awake then... so…a little less than two hours I'd say."

"Hmmm…" Shepard yawned and stretched, cringing as a sharp pain shot through her neck. "The kitchen counter is really no place to sleep. I've got a hell of a crick in my neck."

"It's not really a good place to plan a wedding either," Garrus said, finally walking over to her. He placed a taloned hand on her fleshy human ones, his electric blue eyes looking over the papers stacked on top of each other in messy piles all over the counter. "Why don't you use the sofas in the family room? Or the study? I know I'm in there, but there's plenty of room."

Shepard shook her head. "Too comfy on the sofa. I'd be out in a matter of seconds. And with you in the study, well…" She gave him a devious smirk. "I'd be too tempted to do _other _things and then we'd really never get anything done."

"Hmmm…good point," Garrus said, leaning in close to her. "But I'm still not opposed to the idea."

Shepard chuckled and shook her head again. "Of course you wouldn't be. But in case you haven't noticed…we've got deadlines coming up, deadlines that we have been conveniently forgetting about. I think the Alliance and the Hierarchy are both about to have fits if we ask for another extension."

Garrus snorted. "Let them have their fits. Why we have to report to them on anything regarding the matter of our union is beyond me. It's supposed to be _our_ day Shepard, not theirs."

"Technically it's _two_ days," the Commander corrected. "One for the human wedding and one for the turian…bonding…thing. And while I couldn't agree with you more about it being our special day—er, days—we have to set a 'good example' for the rest of the galaxy." She cocked an eyebrow. "Or did you forget about that little meeting with the Council?"

Garrus sighed and shook his head as he took the seat beside her. He remembered that meeting alright. He and Shepard had been called to the Citadel on "urgent business" and then been lectured for a good hour and a half on the "delicate" situation they were in.

In the thirty years since the start of the truce between the turians and humans, Shepard and Garrus were the only human-turian couple that had gone public about their relationship. They hadn't really had much choice in the matter though, being the heroes that they were. Their privates lives were everyone else's business apparently and one could only keep something like their relationship hidden for so long.

Rather than have nasty rumors spread—though no matter what they did some were bound to—when the rumblings of their relationship had begun to pick up speed on the extranet, Shepard had arranged for a little sit down with Diana Allers to address any questions, concerns, and doubts the citizens of the galaxy may have had. Garrus had been on the show with her, though he hadn't said much as he didn't trust himself to not say something stupidly awkward or offensive to the human viewers. Shepard was Shepard and she had tact and wit—something she claimed she had gotten from her father, Vice Admiral David Shepard—and he was Garrus and Garrus was…how had she put it so eloquently? Oh yes, an awkward turtle. Whatever a turtle was.

"Don't remind me. All that bureaucratic crap makes me sick to my stomach." He huffed. "Tell them the Reapers are coming and they'll ask, 'Are you sure?' and then send you on your merry way. Tell them you're getting married to someone from outside your species that isn't an asari and suddenly they want to know every single little detail, right down to the color of the napkins."

"Well, at least they're not making us actually pay for any of this stuff," Shepard pointed out in an attempt to cast an optimistic light on their predicament. "And they _did_ give us a rather liberal budget to work with…besides…" She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Seeing you tell the Council off was priceless."

"I did do that, didn't I?" Garrus hummed, pleased with himself, his mandibles moving excitedly.

Shepard snickered. "Yes you did…"

It had been a long time in coming, his little explosion at the Citadel Council. The frustration that the ex C-Sec officer had had with the galaxy's top authoritative body had finally reaching a boiling point when the turian Hierarchy and human Alliance had gone to the Council with the request that if Commander Shepard and Garrus Vakarian were to make their interspecies liaison official that they did it the so-called "right way," which, in their minds, was having two separate traditional ceremonies so that each culture would be "appropriately" represented.

"I told you announcing it was a mistake," Garrus had whispered in her ear as they had stood before the Councilors. "We could have run off somewhere warm and tropical and just done whatever the hell we'd felt like. I was starting to think that the hanar's idea of 'tying the knot' would have been an interesting way to kick things off, but I guess we'll never know now."

"Well _I'm _not the one who proposed in a crowded restaurant," she had countered in a barely contained hiss, her eyes not moving from where they were trained on the turian councilor as he prattled on. "When we're the only human-turian couple in the entire galaxy we kind of stand out. And when the turian happens to get down on one knee and pull out an engagement ring in typical human proposal fashion…it's going to attract a few stares. And I hope you were joking about the hanar thing."

"Hey—and yes I was joking— don't blame me! Blame the vids! They told me it was a popular romantic tradition among humans."

"Some humans. Not all. Hell, my parents—"

The turian councilor had cleared his throat loudly then and the two had stopped bickering, sharing a quick, mischievous glance before returning their attention to the political game that had become their engagement.

"Damned politicians and their damn need to get involved in things that don't concern them…" Garrus muttered, a hand idly playing with one of the many sheets of paper in front of him. "I had no problem doing an all-human wedding or an all-turian bonding ceremony. Or a mix. But both of them…in less than a week…it's a little much."

"On the positive side, they let _us_ set dates for both days," Shepard reminded him. She wasn't happy about their meddling either, but she figured it could have been worse. Much, much worse. "Though for a minute there I thought Councilor Quentius was going to blow a gasket when we decided on doing the human wedding first."

"Let him blow a hole in the Citadel for all I care," Garrus grunted. "What did he think we were going to do? Have both weddings at the same time? Oh, we could have mixed them, but noooo…" he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "…we're doing one ceremony one day and then the other one five days later." He let out another breath, his body tight with tension. "I hope Solana won't have trouble getting things ready on Palaven prior to our arrival…"

"With our plans she hopefully won't. If we ever get them done that is…" Shepard tapped the side of her face thoughtfully. "We could've done the turian bonding ceremony first, you know. Still could. It doesn't matter to me. Just as long as we're together, I don't mind." She paused, waiting for him to respond and frowning when none came."Garrus?"

"Sorry Shepard, just thinking…You know, there's still time to elope. Skip the whole damn thing. Neither one of us likes ceremonies and dressing up anyway…and I never like to miss an opportunity to piss off the higher ups."

Shepard laughed, slinging her arms around his pointy frame. Same old Garrus.

"What do you say Shepard? You and me? Running and wedding?" he asked, his voice becoming more enthused by the second. "It's not the same as running and gunning but it still has a nice ring to it. Running and wedding…"

Shepard laughed again, shaking her head. As nice as it sounded, they both knew he was kidding. Sure, she was a Spectre and he was under consideration for a position—though Shepard had been sworn to secrecy on that—and therefore really could do just about whatever the hell they wanted, it was time they did something besides the opposite of what they were told.

Stilling laughing, the Commander said, "What? And disappoint Jack? She was _so _looking forward to trying on bridesmaid dresses…"

A/N: I'm thinking of doing a chapter which centers on Garrus meeting Shep's parents. Of course, this is only possible if Shep has the Spacer background, but I hope that those of you with Colonist and Earthborn backgrounds will enjoy it too.

I have this idea in my head that Shep's dad—who was never mentioned in the games as dead or alive so I'm just going to assume he is alive—is this lovable goof that comes off as intimidating if anyone messes with his little girl. He's a bit more open, imaginative, and emotional than his wife, Hannah Shepard, and therefore can think outside of the box which has enabled him to climb the ranks incredibly fast (and allow him to adapt quickly to the idea of having a turian son-in-law). He's a leader-type guy and Shep inherited his wit and creativity. However, Shep has her mother's looks, determination, and passion.

I have this vision in my head of her dad scaring the crap out of Garrus and then smiling and saying, "Just kidding! Welcome to the flock of the Shepards!" and Shepard would just be standing there with a mortified expression on her face like, "No, Dad. No."

On that note, should I do a chap in which Shep meets Garrus's parents and sister…?


	13. The In-laws Part I

A/N: So here it is! Garrus meets Spacer Shep's parents! Also, I was thinking, if anyone wanted me to, I could make two drabbles for an Earthborn Shep and Colonist Shep.

Time period: Post ME 3

/The In-laws Part 1

"Hi. Nice to meet you, Vice Admiral Shepard and Rear Admiral Shepard. I'm Garrus Vakarian, Codename: Archangel. All around turian bad boy, and dispenser of justice in an unjust galaxy. Also, I'm sleeping with—er—marrying your daughter. But not because she's pregnant or anything—hell, we've tried our hardest to make a baby—but because I actually…Oh, who the hell am I kidding?" Garrus sighed heavily and shook his head, shoulders slumping in defeat. "They're going to kill me."

Looking up into the bathroom mirror in front of him, the nervous turian shifted his head so he could get a good look at his scarred side. For the first time in his life, he was worried about his physical appearance. It wasn't like him, and he knew that it was probably just nerves and the fact that he'd never met any of his girlfriends' parents before—let alone the parents of the girl he was going to marry that was from a completely different species—but it didn't make him feel any better.

"It was all perfect until you said that you were, you know, sleeping with me. I don't know how turians do things, but that is definitely one of the top things to _not _tell a human girl's parents."

Shepard's voice cut through the silence like a knife, nearly startling the brooding vigilante out of his freshly pressed dress blues. Turning around, he saw his lover leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed over her chest, an amused expression on her face and mischief in her eyes. She was dressed in her Alliance dress blues, her hair straightened and brushed, completely ready for the meeting that was about to take place.

"Shepard." He was embarrassed that she had caught him rehearsing in the bathroom mirror, and if he had been able to blush, he would have. Instead, he had to settle for scratching his face and avoiding eye contact. "What…uh…what are you doing here?"

Shepard cocked an eyebrow, trying not to laugh at her poor beau's discomfort. "I live here, remember?"

"Well, yes, you do," Garrus sputtered unintelligently, a hand going to pick at the collar of his shirt. "But I just thought…you know…" He stopped talking, not even sure what he was trying to say.

Shepard shook her head, laughing. "Relax, Garrus. They're my parents, not Reapers. Just don't…you know…mention our extracurricular activities and you should be fine."

Garrus grunted in disbelief. "Are you sure? Because I'm a little bit worried that the whole turian thing might throw them for a loop. Not that I would blame them if it did. Turians and humans weren't exactly on the same page a few decades ago."

Shepard shook her head and chuckled, walking over to where Garrus fidgeted in front of her sink. Wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his shoulder, she whispered softly, "Come on Archangel. One last battle."

/

"Dad! Mom!"

Garrus smiled as Shepard sprinted over to the docking bay doors. Despite the large crowd of people that had disembarked from the docked ship it hadn't taken the Spectre long to spot her parents. Then again, Garrus supposed that anyone would have been able to pick them out, crowd or not. They were an impressive duo, and the sea of people parted for them without fuss, wide eyed glances and hushed whispers being exchanged as the two moved like they owned the place.

Shepard's dad, David Shepard, was a Vice Admiral in the Alliance Navy and had garnered quite a reputation for himself. While he had largely been forgotten due to the adventures of his famous daughter, there had been a time when David Shepard's exploits had been a popular topic on every newscast. Garrus could remember hearing about him a time or two back in the day; his methods were brutal and unconventional but effective, gaining him the grudging admiration of even the most bigoted turians.

He was rumored to be unpredictable in nature, and when Garrus had questioned Shepard about it she had merely laughed and said it was her father's way of keeping people off guard.

"He once told me the best way to win is to be unpredictable, but not _too_ unpredictable as even unpredictability can be predictable," she had said.

Shepard's mother, Hannah Shepard, had been promoted to Rear Admiral during the Reaper War. Like her husband, she too was a prominent figure in the Alliance. Unlike her husband but like her daughter however, she preferred to stick to the shadows, balking at any attention the media tried to shove her way.

Garrus had actually met Hannah once briefly, back when they had discovered Shepard's body amidst the Citadel's ruins and she had been witness to the tender affections he felt for her daughter, but they hadn't spoken much.

Needless to say, he was two seconds away from jumping out of his carapace. Shepard, on the other hand, was a different story. Despite her best efforts to conceal her excitement, it had been obvious that she was looking forward to seeing her mother and father again.

A warm, tingling feeling filled the ex C-Sec officer as Shepard's parents embraced her in a hug, proud, happy tears shining in both of their eyes.

Both had known in advance that the rumor about their daughter seeing a turian was true—thanks to Diana Allers—and Shepard had had a long conversation via vidchat with each of them about their concerns. She has assured him that all was well but it still wasn't stopping him from feeling like he had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Shepard seemed to have grown younger in the presence of her parents; it was almost as if the past five years of heartache and hell had all been a dream. Her shoulders were not slouched, weighted down by the ghosts of the past, and her head was held high in a way that Garrus had not seen since he had met her all those years ago. Her hands moved with vigor, every fiber in her being tense with repressed energy. Even the lines into her face carved by the cruelness of time seemed to have faded away; it was almost as if he was looking at entirely different person.

It was in that moment that Garrus realized that before she had been Commander Shepard, before he had known her, before she had been the first human Spectre, before she had been the hero of the Citadel and savior of the galaxy, she had been a little girl—_their_ little girl. Before she had become the legend she was, she had started out just like every other creature in the galaxy—tiny, helpless, and defenseless. Before she had been able to pick up a gun or storm across a battlefield, she had been coddled and held close, protected.

It was a strange thought, one he had never entertained previously. He had always thought of Shepard having been born the way she was. It had never occurred to him that she had had just as normal a beginning as him, most likely because she was Shepard and Shepard was anything but normal.

_Shepard…as a baby. Little, tiny Shepard. Huh. Who would've thought?_

After a few minutes the humans broke apart, all chuckling in embarrassment at their strong public display of affection. Tears were quickly blinked back or wiped away, her father rubbing her head affectionately and saying something that made her laugh and swipe at him playfully.

Garrus watched in fascination; turian family reunions were never so open.

_Perhaps I do belong in Shepard's world…I never was a good turian. Dad used to tell me I was acted like one of the softlings…maybe he was right._

After some more words were exchanged, Garrus saw Shepard gesturing his way. His body went rigid with tension as the family started walking towards him, and he straightened his back as straight as it could go. Joker's quip about turians having a stick up their ass briefly flitted through his mind, but in his apprehensive state he found that he could not laugh or find the joke the least bit humorous.

He hoped that the anxiety he felt wasn't obvious in the way he stood there, stiff as a board. Of course very few humans could read the subtle shifts in a turian's mood, as their faces were much harder to read than an asari's or salarian's, but the Shepards had spent their lives in the military and had dealt with turians on a daily basis. He knew that his Shepard could read him easily due to the time they spent together and that that her parents were probably just as versed, if not more so, in turian physiology.

"Mom, dad, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend…Garrus Vakarian."

Garrus swallowed hard as they stopped before him, Shepard's parents' faces were unreadable masks as their eyes swept over him, silently judging. He felt like a teenager again, like he didn't belong in his own skin. He felt like he had just gotten caught taken his dad's vehicle out for a joyride or napping when he was supposed to be training.

His electric blue eyes quickly swept over the Shepards, his mandibles flaring out in disappointment when he was unable to pick up on anything. Their soldier façade was on—arms tight by their sides, jaws set firmly—and it was almost as if they were evaluating a potential enemy.

_Crap._

Shepard, who had been rocking on her heels excitedly from beside her father, saw her boyfriend's terror and quickly went to stand by him. Her left hand found his and gripped the taloned appendage gingerly, applying a light, reassuring pressure. It was a small gesture, but one that calmed him down nonetheless. He was still jumpy and on edge and if someone made any sudden moves he would more than likely pull out his gun in alarm, but he was no longer _afraid_.

Shepard was there. His lover, his girlfriend, his _fiancé. _Everything would be alright.

Letting out a quiet breath, Garrus extended his free hand.

"Vice Admiral Shepard, Rear Admiral Shepard…I'm Garrus Vakarian. It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Garrus Vakarian, hm?" the Vice Admiral asked, raising his left eyebrow.

Garrus faltered, his hand still open. "Uh—yes sir. Garrus Vakarian. I used to work for C-Sec. Quit to help Shepard hunt Saren down."

There was a flash of something in the Vice Admiral's eyes—recognition?—but whatever it was faded before Garrus could get a proper read. The Rear Admiral stood beside her husband, face completely neutral.

"You wouldn't happen to be related to Malius Vakarian, would you?" David Shepard asked.

Garrus blinked in surprise. Did the Vice Admiral know his father? "Malius Vakarian is my father, sir. He was an investigator that worked for C-Sec a few years back."

"Yes, I know," David Shepard said humorously, the tone of his voice causing a bad feeling to creep down the younger Vakarian's spine.

_Oh no. What did Dad do?_

Time seemed to be moving in slow motion, each second drawn out. Garrus felt like he was slowly suffocating, the uncomfortable itch of his dress blues turning into a sharp dagger digging into his skin. Nobody in the little groups was moving, the hustle and bustle of the people around them mere background noise.

Was this it? Was this the end? Had his father doomed his relationship with his future in-laws?

"So…." Shepard's father brother the silence after a few minutes had ticked by. "How is ol' Lestrade?"

Garrus blinked, his brow lifting in confusion.

_Lestrade…? What?_

He turned to Shepard for guidance and was surprised to see laughter in her eyes. He looked back at her parents, unsure of what to do. Was there some little joke they were all in on that he wasn't aware of? Surely Shepard would have told him, wouldn't she?

Shepard burst out laughing.

_Apparently not._

"Stop it dad! You're scaring him!"

Much to Garrus's relief and further bewilderment, the older Shepards both began to laugh, her father nearly doubling over.

"Oh, forgive me, I couldn't help myself," her dad said in between guffaws. "It's just…" He looked up at Garrus, eyes sparkling with merriment. "I knew your father back in the day. Gave him a lot of trouble, drove him mad. The minute I heard the rumors about you two being an item, I looked you up and did a little research."

"So you were never…upset?" Garrus asked, still not sure what to do.

David Shepard laughed again and shook his head. "Upset? With you? Never!" Reaching out, he gave his daughter a pat on the shoulder. "I trust Skipper's taste in men. Besides…if you're Lestrade's son, I know that you've had a fine upbringing." He sighed fondly. "That ol' bird was really a chivalrous bastard. Polite, yet stern. Always treated people right."

"Dad, please not with the nicknames…I'm over thirty years old," Shepard growled lowly.

"Nonsense," her dad said, putting his hands on hips. "You're never too old for a nickname. Especially one that suits you, right Garrus?" He turned an expectant face to his future son-in-law.

"Er—ah—sure…I guess…"

"See? Even _he_ thinks so!" David cheered.

Shepard glared at Garrus, who gave her an apologetic smile. "Well, it _does_ suit you…though I really want to know…what is a 'Lestrade'?"


End file.
